‘Star Trek’ is an Instant Classic
-----In the summer of 2007 I went to the San Diego Comic-Con. ‘Star Trek’ was just announced, and I even got a free t-shirt and poster. “Stardate 12-25-08” was written on the back of the shirt. Indeed, the film, originally set for a Christmas Day 2008 release, was moved to May 8th of the following year. I was initially upset with the decision, and even questioned if anyone other than Trekkies would go see something from the worn out ‘Trek’ franchise in the heat of the summer season. That’s when I saw the trailer. Wow.
-----‘Star Trek’ returns to the roots of the franchise which has spawned over 10 movies and many long running TV shows. Modernized for modern audiences, this reboot stars the classic characters with new actors portraying them. Everyone form Kirk to Spock to Scotty has a new face, as the movie tells the story of how they came together. Think ‘Fellowship of the Ring,’ for Star Trek and you’ve got the idea. Throw in epic action and a sharp story, blend it with everything you know about Star Trek and you’ve got a premise worthy of a classic.
-----Scarcely known Chris Pine stars as a young, agreeably cocky, not-yet-Captain Kirk. He proves he’s the perfect choice for a reincarnation of William Shatner’s legendary role as he effectively harnesses all we know about Kirk, adds a renewed outlook, and still remains true to the classic character. Not only does he look relatively like the original Kirk, but he also effectively carries the movie like a pro, not once caricaturing Shatner’s portrayal. As if that weren’t enough, he also manages to avoid any sort of bland imitation in the process. What more can I say? This young actor managed to take on a dearly beloved character and handle him with the necessary he deserves. With such a dominating performance from Pine, it would be easy for the rest of the cast to fall by the wayside, but there’s absolutely no argument for that in this movie. Zachary Quinto, star of TV’s ‘Heroes,’ plays Spock. He resembles his 1960’s counterpart to an almost eerie degree. Quinto’s performance only lends to this physical likeness as he’s able to remind us all why Spock was made classic by Leonard Nimoy in the first place. Finding the perfect blend between emotion and calculation, Quinto brilliantly provides many of the film’s more tragic and human elements.
-----Karl Urban plays Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy, in another spot-on performance. Among his excellent co-stars, he is perhaps the very best at capturing the heart and soul of the original character, not to mention looking perfectly like the character, even more so than Quinto’s uncanny Spock resemblance. While he is excellent, it is arguable that his character needed the least update as it is a supporting role, and one that would have been more difficult to caricature than Kirk, for example. Difficulty of the role aside, however, Urban is fantastic. Comic relief Simon Pegg plays the infamous, “Scotty” in a lighter, yet genuine interpretation of the Enterprise’s trusty engineer. After the weak, ‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate people,’ it’s great to see Pegg back in a quality movie. John Cho, who some may recognize from ‘Harold and Kumar,’ plays Sulu in a smaller role that maintains the standard set by the rest of the cast. Playing the film’s primary antagonist is Eric Bana as the evil Romulan, Nero. He definitely walks the line between a conventional villain somewhat reminiscent of the one in the comedy, ‘Galaxy Quest,’ but ultimately he maintains enough believable motivation behind his eyes to provide a worthy nemesis rather than a tired prop piece. Zoe Saldana plays Uhura in the film’s most removed adaptation, but necessarily so in the context of the movie. She still captures the spirit of her character, however, and forms a nuanced chemistry with her costars. Leonard Nimoy (the original Spock), has a role agreeably larger than a cameo, as an older Spock. Also noteworthy is Chris Hemsworth, who plays George Kirk, in a bit-role where he manages to win the audiences heart in just a few short minutes. Finally, rounding out the primary cast is Anton Yelchin, in an inspired portrayal of Pavel Chekov. And with an ensemble cast this good, it’s a crime the Academy doesn’t adapt a Best Ensemble Cast Oscar, an award that will be featured during this year’s Green Hat Awards.
-----‘Star Trek’ is as epic as they come. There is seldom a movie event as thrilling and fun as this one. The script is able to avoid cheesiness as it shamelessly uses classic elements of the show where necessary; making sure the nostalgia touches on but comes to terms with what would otherwise be cliché elements. The whole experience is thrilling, and the knowledge that this will be an instant classic comes about three minutes in. I expect everyone will have fun with this movie, which is neither constricted to its core fans, or in spite of them. I’m relatively objective in this matter, too, as I’ve only seen enough of the original TV show to pick up the occasional homage to the series, and appreciate its place in pop culture history. A sequel to the movie has already been given the green light, and I’m thrilled to see that the once burnt-out Trek universe is now in full blaze, with the best, perhaps, still to come.
-----The film should get an Oscar Nomination for Art Direction. It’s doubtful that it will, given the fact that it’s a summer blockbuster, but it the art direction really is stunning. Every planet, every ship, every set, all of it is absolutely spectacular. The backgrounds alone are enough to thrill the audience, not to mention the grandiose scale of events taking place in front of them. Many of the sets do a picturesque job of taking the classic sets, but revamping them to the point that they’re recognizable, yet oddly refreshed. It’s as if you’ve been watching a blurry VHS tape, and now you’re finally seeing everything in High Definition. The cinematography works as one with the art direction, using techniques that both add to the otherworldly feel, and intensify a scene without alienating the audience with quick shots and erratic movements. It’s also unique in its perception of space battles we’ve seen hundreds of times, making everything seem bigger, grander, and more splendid than ever before. The costume design is just another shining star on the film’s already glistening résumé. Working with a renewed vision of the classic costume scheme, it effectively revives the style of the TV show while still looking really cool. Throw in a musical score that draws on the vintage theme while hardly relying on it, and the movie’s got everything it needs. The whole film has a certain retro air to it similar to the effect of the James Bond reboot, ‘Casino Royale.’
-----It seems odd to say that a franchise over 40 years old is original and new, but there’s nothing more to it. There’s humor, romance, action, drama, thorough filmmaking; pretty much everything you would look for in a summer blockbuster, or any great movie for that matter. It’s able to shamelessly capture those old-school Trek stories about time travel and human emotion and boldly going where no man has gone before; all mixed with an underlying sense of mystery and wonder. It redefines classic characters, while still remaining true to the essence of them, much like Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker in last year’s, ‘The Dark Knight.’ And while I wasn’t able to, I highly recommend you see ‘Star Trek’ at an IMAX if you can; this one’s worthy of the big screen. ‘Star Trek’ acts as a rare display of how far film has come in just a few short decades.
-----I could end on a silly quote or pun incorporating the opening monologue of the Star Trek episodes or my limited Trek knowledge (i.e.-“live long and prosper ‘Star Trek’ franchise!”), but I’m pretty sure most of us have heard those about a million times; so I’ll fight the temptation. When all is said and done, ‘Star Trek’ is an ideal example of why I love going to the movies, and an early contender for my choice as the best film of 2009.
|
